Leanna Hamill, Attorney at Law

I provide estate planning services for families and individuals on the South Shore and surrounding areas of Massachusetts, working with clients to draft Wills, Trusts, Durable Powers of Attorney, and other instruments to protect their families. I also assist older individuals and their families as they plan for the future, or deal with a crisis situation. Please see the "About" page for more information on my practice areas, or call my office today to schedule a consultation.

Comments are welcome but please do not leave personal information or specific legal questions in the comment field. If you need legal assistance, the best way to get in touch with me is to call my office at 781-749-2284.

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Advertising. In accordance with rules established by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. This web site must be labeled "advertising." It is designed to provide general information for clients and friends of the firm and should not be construed as legal advice, or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. By using this blog site you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the website publisher. The webiste should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. Leanna Hamill is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts only.

Are you taking a vacation without your children this summer, even a weekend away? Make sure you have the proper documents in place so that whoever is caring for your children has the authority to obtain medical care for them in an emergency. Also, make sure that you leave detailed instructions about their medical history, allergies, and medications and how to reach their current doctor.

If your over-18 children will be traveling without you, make sure they have a Health Care Proxy signed so someone can make medical decisions for them if they are unable. While they may still be your baby, if they are over 18 your right to make decisions for them, or even get an update on their medical condition, will be limited without the proper authorizations in place.

The more prepared you are before you leave, the less you have to worry about on your trip. Just don't forget the sunscreen!

The Boston Globe has an article today about medical schools focusing on the care of the elderly. Some of the course work includes a focus on hip fractures, drug costs, and discussing end of life issues with their patients.

The new emphasis on aging is part of a wave of change sweeping
medical schools nationwide as they focus - many for the first time - on
preparing all newly minted doctors to treat the growing population of
older Americans. Although students have traditionally trained in
hospitals filled with older patients, many graduated with little
knowledge of how elderly patients' bodies and minds differ from younger
ones.

Now, medical schools are increasingly teaching students in
settings that include senior centers and nursing homes. They are
incorporating lessons on aging in basic coursework. And many are
testing students on their skill in treating older patients before they
are allowed to graduate.

"This work is crucial to the well-being
of older people and the well-being of healthcare in the United States,"
said Dr. Richard Besdine, director of the Center for Gerontology and
Health Care Research, who is leading a curriculum overhaul at Brown.
"Every physician in the United States needs to be educated about care
of older people unless they're going to do lifetime pediatrics."

It will be interesting to see if the new emphasis on caring for the aged will lead to a resurgence of doctors who make home visits (and not just to the nursing home or assisted living facility.) As more people choose to age in place, with supports from family, paid care-givers and companions, the need for doctors who make home visits will increase. Just as you can't have an elder law practice without making home visits to those clients who need them, a doctor will have a hard time calling herself a geriatrition if she isn't willing to do the same thing for her patients.

My friend and former colleague Nicola Truppin of Health Navigator Partners sent me the link to the Health Care for Allblog which has a recent post about people who were harmed while getting medical treatment at prominent Boston hospitals, either through misdiagnoses, medical errors or preventable infections. There are 3 videos - each 3 minutes long - in which each woman describes what happened to her. Click here to see the videos and read the post.

The goal behind these videos and the work being done by Health Care for All's Consumer Health Quality Council is to bring awareness to the problem and advocate for quality improvement and patient safety in health care.